Lollipopping Cannabis The Right Way: A Guide

As sweet as it sounds, lollipopping or the lollipop technique is not about the production of lollipops or sweets. It is a growing technique generally used by cannabis growers to enhance their yield. We will discussing the process of lollipopping, eligibility, growing techniques requiring lollipopping and why should you apply the lollipopping method during cannabis cultivation.

You will never run out of supply of buds because you have plenty. Why wait for 10 to 11 weeks of flowering time if this process can shorten the waiting period? If you are tired of waiting weeks just to harvest small yield of buds? Then lollipopping might be your perfect companion and the start of your booming dispensary. Read and go ahead and try how the lollipopping method works.

What is Lollipopping

Lollipopping is a process of maintenance wherein you trim the lower part of your cannabis plant and just focus on the upper part where the buds bloom. You cut off the leaves from the center up to the bottom that will make the plant lollipop in shape.

This technique is a big help especially if the strain that you are trying to grow has low to mild resistance to pests, molds and mildews considering that some prefer to grow outdoors where the climate is not controlled. It will give the upper part more space to breathe. Besides, the lower leaves are not necessarily essential to its growth.

Lollipopping provides space for the plant to occupy and absorb enough light for a more bountiful growth. Considering that there are a variety of strains which are bushy during growth, this is the best way to maintain your cannabis plant while trying to improve its yield.

The method of lollipopping is suggested for growers with experience in cannabis cultivation. It is not that difficult but it is not as easy too. It would be best if you have enough knowledge when it comes to the nature of the strain, process of lollipopping and the growing requirements of the strain that you are trying to grow.

The goal of lollipopping is to provide each bud light as much as possible. This will help the bud from absorbing the nutrients promoting its growth and will maximize the growing opportunity of your cannabis plant. Removing 20% up to 30% of the plant which does not acquire light penetration.

Most if not all of the cannabis growers who use the lollipopping method prefers an indoor setting for marijuana cultivation. They utilize the lollipopping method because in an indoor setting, the environmental requirements are mostly artificial.

For example, the way your marijuana plant acquires light. It is positioned on the ceiling promoting equal distribution of the light throughout the room. The upper parts of the plant are the only ones acquiring light since the leaves are windowing each other providing shade from the other buds not just resulting to delay of growth but as well as the amount of yield.

Growing Techniques Recommending the Utilization Of Lollipopping Method

Considering that not all growing techniques are eligible in undergoing the lollipopping method, here are two growing techniques that works well with it producing bountiful buds. This is high suggested especially for cannabis growers who run their own dispense shops online and in-store.

These growing techniques are mostly utilized by growers who have gained experience in cultivating cannabis. Knowing how their process works, the utilization of the lollipopping method would not stand their way considering that it is almost aligned with these growing techniques.

SOG (Sea of Green)

The SOG method or the Sea of Green is a technique carefully idealized for marijuana cultivation limited to small spaces. During its pre-vegetative stage in about two weeks more or less, it tends to force and pressure the plant into its flowering stage. The good thing about it is that the average flowering time is shortened. You will be able to harvest earlier than eight to nine weeks.

On an SOG set up, it works well with being paired with the lollipopping method because this way, the buds will get enough light and air since premature plants are less likely to be susceptible to both. This is the most effective way in using SOG because not just the average time is shortened, you will also be able to produce a bountiful yield. It is like hitting two birds with one stone.

To come up with a satisfying yield with the use of the SOG method, it would be best to properly maintain it with the lollipopping method. In the real world, it usually takes ten weeks or so for a strain to complete its vegetative cycle. Using this method would leave you consistent harvest and supply.

This is highly recommended for people who have their own dispensaries who is in need of a large and consistent supply of cannabis. It is both efficient for both growers and sellers. You no longer have to worry about running out of supply or difficulties in maintaining your strain, using the SOG and lollipopping method will make your cannabis growing and selling experience efficient.

SCROG (Screen of Green)

Throughout the years of the lowering of legal restrictions in the growing and utilization of marijuana, another famous growing technique is on the top, the SCROG method also known as Screen of Green method.

Scrogging is a method suggested mostly for indoor growing preferences to maximize the provided artificial lighting. They use a screen, whether it is a nylon net or chicken wire, as long as it has a minimum of five centimeter in diameter, it will work well for scrogging.

The process of scrogging is suspending the upper part of the plant in between the spaces provided by the wiring. You have to keep the upper part as close to the light as possible to absorb a vast amount of light. It is mostly used for indica strains rather than sativa considering that indica ones grow vertically meanwhile sativa ones are more bushy and horizontal in growth.

If you are going to utilize the Screen of Green growing technique with the lollipopping method, you have to make sure that your screen is sturdy enough to support the weight of the buds on the upper part. This way, the growth of your marijuana plant would not be deprived. Bear in mind that it would be best if you check your buds every now and then to secure it from unwanted molds, mildews or even diseases.

Techniques on How to Lolippop

Let us face the fact that growers would love to have a bountiful yield and will do anything and everything just to come up with one. You tend to try each and every method not just to come up with a successful harvest but for you to also gain knowledge and experience. We created a guide to follow in executing the lollipopping method. This way, you would not have a hard time in doing the methods.

As the name may ring it, “lollipopping” is the term because as you finish the whole process, the marijuana plant looks like a lollipop, sphere shaped with a long stem. The process of lollipopping starts by cutting off half or more than half (depending on your preference) of the whole plant. This does not just make the whole cannabis plant look well-maintained, but it will boost the potency of your plant too. It is like hitting two birds with one stone.

Top Down Lollipopping

Is the first step where in you cut off the excessive leaves that provides shade on the lower part of the plant depriving it from producing more buds. Before you start cutting off the excessive parts, you have to pick four nodes. These nodes should be connected to the main growing tip of your cannabis plant or you can pick a point where you want to start the cutting process. After you pick, you can now cut the growing stems and leaves beyond that point and just focus on the upper part.

The process is as simple as holding the stem in between your forefinger and thumb then slide it downwards to remove the sides and the excessive parts. Another option is to manually cut it off with a pair of scissors.

Bottom Up Lollipopping

Is another technique where you start from the part where the stem meets the soil upwards. This technique is the required type of lollipopping especially when you are using the Screen of Green growing technique since the marijuana is suspended on the upper part of chicken wire to absorb as much light as possible.

Since you will be starting the cut from the bottom and you will be working and trimming upwards, make sure to provide a sharp pair of sterile scissors. First thing to do is to remove the short branches to prioritize the top of the canopy and that the light will focus on the remaining lateral branches. As you finish the trimming, observe the plants growth for days, if it continues to develop, it would be best to maintain, monitor and trim it again.  

Other Trimming Options Apart from Lollipopping

As a cannabis grower, you have to think outside of the box and seek for other options if one does not work well with the strain that you are trying to grow and if you are not that experienced in exhibiting a particular trimming process. It would be best if you have a plan A and plan B if things go wrong. We have gathered information about other trimming options that you can execute if lollipopping is not your thing. These options also have the capability to increase your yield and to make your growing experience efficient.

Monster Cropping

Monster Cropping also known as Flowering Clones is a trimming technique wherein during the flowering phase of the marijuana plant, you remove its clones then replant it. This will result to a super bushy strain with flowering nodes and branches.

The process was named Master Cropping because it produces large sized marijuana plants. It is mostly utilized by growers with large spaces whether it is indoors, outdoors or even greenhouses. This is the trimming option which is best partnered with SOG and SCROG growing techniques. Incorporating it with either of the two will have the plant acquire its ability to produce multiple heads per plant.

Low Stress Training

Low Stress Training or LST is a trimming option which is very easy and efficient and is mostly preferred by inexperienced growers. As the name itself suggests, during the marijuana plant’s growth, it administers low amount of stress for the grower and the plant itself. You do not have to worry about too much maintenance and monitoring.

When grown using the LST trimming option, your cannabis plants grow horizontally rather than vertically making it look like bushes. As soon as it gets bushy, this is the sign that its buds are ready to develop. Apart from the low stress and the bountiful yield it provides, your strain would never go wrong with Low Stress Training for it will produce potent buds.

Topping

Another trimming option which is suggested for cannabis growers who are seeking for a bountiful strain. Topping is the most generally known form of high stress technique. This is not suggested for inexperienced growers considering that the process can be a bit tricky.

Topping is rooting for the main stem of a cannabis plant and then replanting it. This trimming option works well in an indoor and outdoor setting. As you cut the main stem, you have to make sure that you will be using sterilized scissors because that is how sensitive it is. Removing the whole main stem, a single cola will double. The good thing about it, you can repeat the trimming process over again.

Fimming

Fimming is a trimming option which is also suggested for cannabis growers with gained experience. Considering that it is also considered as a high stress technique, you have to do it carefully. If Topping is just removing the whole main stem to replant, with Fimming, you just cut or remove a small portion of the main stem for you to replant.

In the process of Fimming, you just remove the growth on the top most part of the plant but you do not cut through the stem. Fimming produces two up to four main colas peeking through the top of the plant. The normal growth of marijuana is in Christmas tree shape but there is only one main cola. When you use Fimming as a trimming option, the marijuana plant is still in Christmas tree shape yet it has multiple colas.

Super Cropping

Another trimming option which is under the high stress training technique which works well for both indoor and outdoor cultivation. Super Cropping, as the name speaks for itself, you stress and pressure the growth of the plant. This trimming option results to a bushy plant with plenty of branches. It grows horizontally rather than horizontally so you have to make sure that you will be able to provide enough space.

Super Cropping trimming technique is one of the most effective option if you want to harvest a bountiful and premium quality buds. In comparison to normally grown strains, it produces buds with higher levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The good thing about this technique is that it protects itself from potential diseases, mildews and molds.

Elligibility of Lollipopping

The good thing about this trimming method is that it is applicable for all types of marijuana strains. Before you conduct the trimming process, you have to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your strain. Classifying it as sativa, indica or other types of strains, is a big help in choosing the perfect technique.

Indica strains grow vertically. The lollipopping technique suggested for these kind of strains is the top down technique since it grows thin and it is not that difficult to maintain. You will be able to see through the primary nodes that you will be leaving. Bear in mind that you have to thoroughly cut the excessive stems and leaves off. This way, your primary nodes will receive equal amounts of light and air.

On the other hand, sativa strains grow horizontally. They tend to be very bushy and full of branches on the inside. With this, it would be best if you will be using the bottom up technique. The top down technique will be difficult to execute because of the lateral branching properties of sativa strains. Scrutinize the strong branches to keep to come up with a satisfying result.

Either way, even though all marijuana strains are eligible for the lollipopping method, it would be best if you try it on one to two easy-growing strains to alleviate the chances of just wasting the cannabis plant itself. Inspect the growth of the plant after you have executed the lollipopping method, this way, you will be able to avoid growth of insects and production of eggs.